Ten year-old Chana Hendel lives in Athens, Greece where her parents serve as Chabad representatives. Though she attends a Jewish school, none of her classmates keep Shabbat or kosher. The Hendels are the only religious family in the area.

“It’s hard to be the only one who keeps everything. When I go to a friend’s birthday party, my mother gives me food from our home to eat so I’ll be able to join my friends at the table,” Chana says.

But last summer, Chana made many new friends who share a similar set of challenges. At Gan Yisroel Tzeirei Hashluchos, an overnight summer camp in Gothenburg, Sweden catering for children of Chabad emissaries in Europe, 30 girls ages 8-15 from some twenty European countries enjoyed an exciting camping program of sports, trips and daily Jewish study sessions. It was a chance for them to forge friendships with like-minded campers—young girls who live with the courage of their convictions in secular communities.

“She was on a high when she came home after camp ended,” says Nehama Hendel, Chana’s mother. “At home, Chana wakes up early to daven (pray) before school, but in camp, all the campers sing and daven together. The opportunity to live with other religious children is empowering, and priceless.”

This year, directors Rabbi Alexander and Leah Namdar have responded to a need for a boy’s camp by opening a new division for boys aged 8-13. Though the numbers have now doubled, the Namdar’s objective remains the same: “Our goal is give these kids a chance to connect with other children who are similar to them so they know they aren’t alone in their important work as young Shluchim,” says Rabbi Namdar, 45.

The girl’s camp will run from July 11 to August 1, and the boys’ division will run from August 4 through 22. While most children speak different European languages, both camps are bilingual in Hebrew and English, one of which is familiar to all the children.

The camp was founded in 2009 by the Namdars -- directors of Chabad in Sweden -- and Merkos L'inyonei Chinuch, the educational division of the global Chabad network. The driving force behind the camp, says Leah Namdar, 41, is “the inspiration of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.”

In any overnight camp, kids learn independence and confidence in a safe, nurturing environment while away from the protection of home. But the Namdar’s camp distinguishes itself by also providing a meeting place for kids who sometimes feel cut-off from other religious children, says Dr. Kate Miriam Loewenthal, Professor of Psychology in London University and New York University in London.

“This camp gives group cohesion and a stronger sense of identity to children who may feel isolated and lonely,” she explains. “At times, they might feel as though they are the only ones in the world like them, so doing enjoyable things in an atmosphere with so much social contact with other children like them reduces that feeling of loneliness and inspires them.”

Chana agrees. “In school, my friends ask me why only wear skirts. At camp, I’m around people who look and act the same way as me,” she explains.

Of course, says Leah Namdar, the friendships they form don’t dissolve after camp; over the course of the year, children keep in touch with fellow campers and staff on the camp blog, or by emailing and calling each other.

Nehama Hendel enrolled her son Aryeh at the boy’s camp. Aryeh, 9, says he’s looking forward to his first sleep-away summer camp.

“I’m excited to get to know other boys who live on Shlichus just like me,” he says.